On June 22, 2020, President Trump signed Proclamation 10052, suspending four visa categories of substantial importance to US companies—H-1B, L-1, H-2B, and certain J-1 visas—for the rest of the calendar year and laid the groundwork for regulatory changes to transform when and how employers can sponsor foreign workers to work in the United States. For
Travel Restrictions
Trump Order Suspends Major Visa Categories, Including H-1B and L-1, Through the End of the Calendar Year, With Rulemaking Restrictions to Follow

President Trump signed a proclamation on June 22, 2020, suspending four visa categories of substantial importance to US companies – H-1B, L-1, H-2B, and certain J-1 visas – for the rest of the calendar year, and laid the groundwork for regulatory changes to transform when and how employers can sponsor foreign workers to work in the United States. The executive order does not affect visa holders already in the United States who do not travel abroad, or those who are abroad but have already obtained a visa or other travel document. Additionally, the order extends the provisions of the President’s April 22, 2020, “Proclamation Suspending Entry of Immigrants Who Present Risk to the U.S. Labor Market During the Economic Recovery Following the COVID-19 Outbreak,” which suspended for 60 days the issuance of new immigrant visas to applicants who are outside the United States.
The order also includes a mandate for subsequent rulemaking to address a wide-ranging series of measures including imposition of new recruitment and compliance obligations on employers, development of a revised regulatory scheme for allocation of and eligibility qualification for H-1B visas, and provision of enhanced investigative and exclusionary authority for consular and port officials.
The June 22, 2020, proclamation immediately extends the immigrant visa suspension, while the entry restrictions for H-1B, L-1, H-2B, and J-1 visas will take effect on June 24, 2020 at 12:01 a.m. EDT. Both provisions are effective until December 31, 2020.…
Continue Reading Trump Order Suspends Major Visa Categories, Including H-1B and L-1, Through the End of the Calendar Year, With Rulemaking Restrictions to Follow
Japan Considering Entry of Certain Individuals From Thailand and Three Other Countries – a Potential System for Broadening Future Entry

As a first step to implementing a system for broadening entry into the country, the Japanese government is currently engaging in discussions to begin permitting entry of certain individuals from Thailand, Vietnam, Australia and New Zealand for business purposes, including management, executives, specialists, technical trainees and internal company transferees. As discussed in our prior blog…
Japan Announces Additional Entry Bans Covering India, Argentina, South Africa and Eight Other Countries

Effective May 27, 2020 at midnight Japan time, the Japanese government will ban the entry of foreigners who have visited India, Argentina, South Africa or eight other countries for the past 14 days prior to arriving in Japan. On May 22, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs had placed a Level 3 travel warning level on…
COVID-19 Travel Restrictions: US Tax Relief and Cross-Border Tax Considerations

COVID-19 has left employee workforces separated from their country of assignment. To continue operations, employers transitioned employees to work-from-home or other virtual work arrangements. Globally, tax authorities are considering how to address unintended corporate and individual tax consequences of displaced individuals physically present within a particular jurisdiction and those who are also performing business activities…
Japan Extends Entry Restrictions Through the End of May, Announces Additional Entry Restrictions on 14 Countries

The Japanese government announced that it is extending the entry restrictions into Japan, which we discussed in detail in our prior blog post, through the end of May. This extension applies to entry restrictions placed on all countries globally, including the entry ban on foreigners who have visited the United States, Canada, China or…
Trump Signs Executive Order Imposing 60-Day Pause on Green Card Issuance

President Trump signed an executive order, “Proclamation Suspending Entry of Immigrants Who Present Risk to the U.S. Labor Market During the Economic Recovery Following the COVID-19 Outbreak,” to pause for 60 days the issuance of new immigrant visas to applicants who are outside the United States. The order, which takes effect at 11:59 pm Eastern…
Trump Plan to Suspend Immigration Shifts to 60-Day Pause on Green Card Awards

President Donald Trump’s tweet late Monday night, April 20, 2020, that he would suspend immigration temporarily “[i]n light of the attack from the Invisible Enemy, as well as the need to protect the jobs of our GREAT American Citizens,” led to widespread speculation across the business community that the president was instituting a blanket ban…
USCIS Provides Options for Visa Holders Stranded in the United States Due to COVID-19 Travel Restrictions

US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) guidance posted on April 13, 2020, provides nonimmigrant visa holders and Visa Waiver visitors who find themselves unable to timely depart the United States, with options to remain in the United States lawfully. Our post on the COVID-19 Response Blog, “Multiple Courses to Seek Additional Time to Remain in…
Japan Declares a State of Emergency in Tokyo, Osaka and Five Other Prefectures

Effective April 8, 2020 at midnight Japan time, the Japanese government declared a state of emergency specifically designated for Tokyo, Osaka, Hyogo, Fukuoka, as well as the three prefectures surrounding Tokyo (Kanagawa, Saitama and Chiba) initially until May 6. The declaration was made under a special measures law, which will provide each prefectural governor the…